Christmas Postcard

Christmas in Vanuatu, as in all Pacific Islands, is a mixture of religious celebration and family time. Ni-Vanuatu celebrate the Christian calendar, particularly the Christmas and New Year's season, which they call Bonane.

At the year's end, people who live in the larger centres such as Port Vila, return to their home islands. In villages, people form choruses and visit neighboring communities to perform religious and secular songs.

In Port Vila, Christmas is mostly celebrated by going to church on Christmas eve, and everyone taking picnics on Christmas morning and spending Christmas on the beach with lots and lots of food and games. If celebrations are held at home, they do a lot of cooking (mostly baked food and barbeque) and play games with the children.